WA Nationals becoming 'force to be reckoned with'

A political analyst says it is highly likely the WA Nationals will claim an historic second spot in the Mining and Pastoral region after the state election.

Wendy Duncan vacated her seat in the Legislative Council to run for the Lower House seat of Kalgoorlie.

It is predicted National party secretary Jacqui Boydell and Goldfields' police officer Dave Grills will take two Upper House seats for the Nationals.

Professor David Black says the Nationals are fast becoming a "force to be reckoned with".

"Oh definitely and that's the reason the Labor Party directed preferences against the Nationals in a number of places was precisely that reason because in raiding the mining and pastoral region it's really been costly to the Labor Party, rather than the Liberal Party," he said.

"When you say it's a record it's hardly surprising, when there's been fairly dramatic changes in all the seats.

"The National party strength across the whole has grown considerably and that'll obviously be reflected in the legislative council."

Professor Black says, while the Greens' Robin Chapple may retain his Mining and Pastoral seat, the Greens' performance overall was "nothing short of disastrous".